Seven police forces team up to tackle hare coursing

Hare coursing "causes damage to crops, harms animal welfare and threatens the rural community", police said

Seven police forces have teamed up in a bid to tackle hare coursing.

The borders between Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent police forces have been removed to make it easier to prosecute offenders.

Coursing is when criminal gangs set dogs to chase hares - often betting large amounts of money.

Hertfordshire Police said it was "an important step forward" in its fight against the "cruel blood sport".

Police said it was important people did not confront hare courses and instead call 999

Sgt Ryan Hemmings said: "The agreement effectively means that anyone caught committing anti-social behaviour (ASB) related to coursing, say in Norfolk, would be seen as also committing this in Hertfordshire.

"If the same person were to carry on their behaviour in Hertfordshire, proactive measures can take place using the ASB legislation, and if that same person was to continue for a third time, in say Bedfordshire, a prosecution can commence - alongside any other action as a result of earlier behaviour.

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The agreement, supported by the Crown Prosecution Service, means anyone involved in three incidents of ASB linked to hare coursing can be prosecuted, irrespective of the area the offences were committed.

Hertfordshire Police said the illegal blood sport "causes damage to crops, harms animal welfare and threatens the rural community".

It has urged landowners to consider blocking entrances to fields with ditches, fencing, trees or barriers.

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